I enjoy putting my own spin on traditional recipes. Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding is one of them, and it is a popular sweet treat. The Bacardi Guava Rum Sauce, on the other hand, is the star of this recipe. It’s so good that I could eat it with a spoon or spread it on bread or crackers; It is that good!
Sweet Potato Pudding is a long time favorite Jamaican sweet treat. I fell in love with potato pudding as a child. My church sister would sell potato and bread pudding after church services on Sundays. In my eyes, she was and still is the Pudding Queen.
“Hell A Bottom, Hell A Top and Hallelujah In The Middle.”
On hot coals, the sweet potato mixture was cooked in a “dutch pot.” To create the illusion of an oven, a zinc sheet was placed on top as a lid, and hot coal was layered on top.
The hallelujah in the middle represents the delicious goodness of the sweet potato pudding sandwich between hot coals on the top and at the bottom.
Despite advancements in oven technology, many Jamaicans still use this method of baking sweet potato pudding today. However, I continue to believe that this method is the best way to bake sweet potato pudding.
Foods or meals that are cooked on an outdoor stove acquire an unexplainable flavor and texture that you would not necessarily taste in meals cooked on a gas or electric stove.
Grandma’s Sweet Potato Pudding
I always had a good time when I went to see my Grandma in the country area of Jamaica during the summer. She cooked all of her meals on her outdoor coal stove at the time. I specifically recall watching her bake sweet potato pudding on her coal stove.
It was my first time witnessing an authentic Jamaican sweet potato pudding being baked in a “coal oven.” It was a fascinating experience, and best of all, I got to eat this Jamaican sweet delicacy.
Let’s Talk Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes come in a variety of different species that can be found in grocery stores across the United States. We don’t have these different options in Jamaica. Species of sweet potatoes in the United States, on the other hand, vary in texture, flavor, and color.
When I first moved to the United States, I was perplexed by the various types of sweet sweet potatoes that appeared to be quite different but were all referred to as sweet potatoes.
The USDA later changed the name of the white flesh sweet potato to yams to distinguish it from the orange American sweet potato. However, in the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica, YAMS are a completely different type of food. It’s one of our favorite starchy root tubers and goes well with a variety of dishes.
Jamaican Sweet Potatoes (Yams).
Caribbean sweet potatoes, or yams as they are commonly known in the United States, have thinner, reddish-purple skin and a rougher exterior. The interior is white.
Because Jamaican sweet potatoes or yams contain less water, they are drier, harder, and starchier in texture. They quickly oxidize and turn brown.
They can be found in some supermarkets, but you can also get them at your local “Korean” or Caribbean market in the United States.
American Sweet Potatoes
These are grown in the United States and can be found in most grocery stores.
Sweet potato skin is thicker, smoother, and brownish-orange in color. The interior is a vibrant orange color.
They are softer and silkier in texture when cooked due to their higher water content.
During the Thanksgiving season, they are frequently used in the preparation of dishes such as sweet potato pies and candied yams.
Nutrition and Sweet Potatoes Yams
It doesn’t matter whether you prefer sweet potatoes or yams; both are high in nutrition and have numerous health benefits.
When eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber. 1 medium sweet potato with skin contains about 4 g of fiber.
Both yams and sweet potatoes are high in vitamins and minerals:
Vitamin A or Beta-Carotene
Niacin
Potassium
Vitamin B5, B6, C
Magnesium
Manganese
Copper
Iron
Healthline provides detailed and in-depth nutrition information on both yams and sweet potatoes.
You will also enjoy my blog on the Immune Boosting Power Of Carrots.
Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding with Bacardi Guava Rum Sauce.
Here are all the ingredients You Will Need.
Click on each ingredient for shopping locations.
Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding Topped With A Bacardi Guava Rum Sauce.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Oven
- Whisk
- Spoons
- 12 Inches Cast Iron Pot
- Food Processor or Blender
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 5 cups Jamaican Sweet Potato, Cubed 2 large sweet potatos, 2.5 lbs
- 1 can Coconut Milk
- 2 cups Cassava, Cubed Small, 1 lb
- 1.25 cups Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 cup Bacardi Coconut Rum
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Almond Extract
- 2 tsp Salt
Bacardi Guava Rum Sauce
- 2 cups Guava paste, cubes
- 1/4 cup Coconut Milk
- 1/4 cup Warm Water
- 1/3 cup Bacardi Coconut Rum
Instructions
- Set oven to 375 °F.
- Peel your sweet potato and casava. The potato will oxidize and get brown. This is normal and will not affect the taste of the final product.
- Remove the fibrous center vein in the center of the cassava root. This is inedible and can be a choking hazard.
- Cut sweet potato and cassava into roughly cut cubes
- Add cubes to the food processor. Blender and pulse until fairly smooth. Dump content into the mixing bowl.
- In another bowl, add coconut milk, Bacardi Rum, nutmeg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and brown sugar. Mix all ingredients with a whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour coconut milk mixture onto grated sweet potato mixture. Gently mix until all the ingredients are evenly uniformed.
- Grease cast iron pot with tablespoons of unsalted butter.
- Pour Sweet Potato mixture onto cast iron pot.
- Gently tap pot cast iorn or baking tin onto a counter a few times to release air bubbles and even out the mixture inside baking container.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Bacardi Guave Rum Sauce
- Use a sharp knife to cut the guava paste into cubes.
- In the Saucepan add the cubes of guava paste, coconut milk, and water.
- Over low to medium heat, allow cooking while constantly stirring with the metal whisk to avoid burning.
- Whisk until all the cubes of guava paste are dissolved. At this point add the Bacardi Rum and mix well.
- Remove sweet potato pudding from the oven 3-5 minutes before the complete recommended cook time.
- Pour guava sauce onto the top of the baked sweet potato pudding. Place back inside the oven for 3-5 minutes.
Notes
Sweet Potato Pudding with Bacardi Rum Sauce.
You will also love this very tasty sweet treat. Click HERE for more details or click on pick to take you to the blog.
Here is another great read. You will enjoy my top favorite bakeries i have visited and enjoyed. Click HERE to take you to the blog.
This sweet potato pudding sounds delicious, and the guava rum sauce sounds incredible! I can’t wait to make this recipe!
Also, all the information about the different sweet potatoes was interesting! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the feedback. Appreciate you stopping by.
What an interesting recipe! I’d love to give this a go!
This sounds amazing! I first tried sweet potato pudding while on my honeymoon in Ocho Rios, it was amazing! Going to try to make this for our anniversary that’s coming up next month!
That looks amazing! I am a huge fan of sweet potatoes and always looking to use them in different ways.
It looks delicious! I would love to eat it! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi there just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
The text in your post seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer.
I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I
figured I’d post to let you know. The layout look great though!
Hope you get the problem solved soon. Cheers
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Appreciate this post. Will try it out.
I love how everything in Jamaica has rum in it.
Wow! This sounds incredible and I had never heard of it. I love learning about new foods. It is so interesting to also learn about how people cooked in Jamaica before indoor ovens. That was really interesting! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the details along with the pictures and love the expression..”hell a …..the middle”
This looks and sounds like it’s packed full of wonderful flavours — thanks for sharing!
Thanks for dropping by Molly. Sweet potato pudding has many sweet flavors.
Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome.
Thank you Kirsten
This definitely give it 5 star. Although I haven’t tried it before but it look so good. I will keep this on the list to try it. Thank you for sharing!
I love the saying “ Hell A Bottom, Hell A Top and Hallelujah In The Middle”! So interesting. And your baked sweet potato pie looks so good and appears to have the perfect texture. That with the guava rum sauce? Yum!
Thank you Jenna.
This looks really good. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Kirsten.
my mum used to prepare this for me when i was a child. it really teste delicious.
It definitely a childhood favorite. Thanks for dropping by Bright…
I’d never heard of sweet potato pudding but this looks so good! I can’t wait to try it!
Christine, glad you came across my sweet potato recipe. Hope to get to try or make it some day; you will love it.
Here in Cape Town where I live, we used to sweet potato and custard as a Sunday pudding. You just gave a good idea on this recipe which we can implement on those sunday puddings. Thanks for this!
I am glad my recipe inspires you, Anthuwin. I hope you get to make it soon.
I really enjoyed learning about the outdoor coal stove and the way it is used to make the Jamaican sweet potato pudding. The recipe sounds amazing and the Bacardi guava rum sauce sounds delicious. Thank you for the great recipe.
I am happy you learned a bit about the history of Jamaican sweet potato pudding. Hope you get to try it or bake it someday.
Thanks for the comment and star rating Debbie. The guava rum sauce is a home run, delicious!!